Raised by an Animal
by motionless6494
Summary: Peter Parker is brought to live with the brooding Logan instead of Uncle Ben and Aunt May. His parents are just trying to keep him out of harm's way. What could possibly go wrong with leaving a six year old in the care of the Wolverine? Will Peter ever truly know who his parents were and what they did for a living? And can Logan deal with being tied down to a brat that isn't his?
1. Chapter 1

RbaA Ch. 1

Peter Parker never had the privilege of being raised by his parents. He never had a chance to see them one last time. The Parker family came to such an abrupt ending. That's not to say that Peter didn't get the chance to have happiness. It just took him a while to find it.

It was already late when they showed up at his house. They could hear the television through the door, and see a few lights on through the windows. It didn't take him long to answer the door.

"What's wrong?" asked Logan when he saw the worried family of three standing on his doorstep, overnight bags in tow.

"Can we come in?" Mary said in a small voice.

Logan let them in and watched as Richard set Peter down. He looked very sleepy and very confused.

"We had a break-in," said Richard. Logan was about to speak when Richard continued. "We think it had to do with Curt Connors and Norman Osborn."

Suddenly Mary shot Richard a sideways glance before bending to Peter's level. "Peter, why don't you go into the living room and watch some TV. We'll be right over to talk with you in a moment." When he did what he was told, Mary said in a hushed voice, "Logan, we need you to take care of him for a while."

"What, the kid?" He looked more shocked than anything. "Why can't he go with your brother?" he asked pointing at Richard.

"Because you live closer to his school and we trust you," whispered Mary.

"This is our only choice. If we could take him, we would. Trust me, we would. But you of all people should know damn well that it's not safe."

"We would be endangering his life if we took him with us. We're endangering him enough just by being his par-"

"How long?" he interrupted.

"A month and a half. Two tops. Just long enough for us to investigate this with Hill."

"Fine. But any longer than that, I'm taking him to your brother."

Mary hesitated before pulling Logan into a strong, tight hug and sobbing thanks into his chest. He wasn't sure how to react.

"Peter, come on over here." Richard called.

When Peter entered the hallway where the adults were talking, Logan finally got a good look at him. He was wearing red and blue footed pajamas and his hair was askew. There was what looked like chocolate on the corner of his mouth.

"Peter, you're going to stay here for a while. There's something very important that your mother and I need to take care of, and until then, it won't be safe for any of us to continue being at home. Do you understand?" He nodded. Surely the boy of six years had no clue what his father was trying to tell him.

"Logan will look after you and make sure you brush your teeth every night. He'll even tuck you into bed at night if you ask nice enough."

"I ain't doin' that."

Mary smiled meekly before continuing. "We need you to know something, Peter... We're not abandoning you... We love you so much. We're just trying to protect you. We want you safe." She was holding back tears but her voice had already broken.

"Son, it will only be for a month or two. And you can count on us to bring you back a souvenir when we come home." He crouched down to Peter's level. "There's no need for you to worry." And with that, he placed a kiss on his forehead and stood up. Mary held him tighter than she ever had before.

"Mary, it's time." said Richard in a pained voice. They thanked Logan once more for agreeing to take care of Peter for them and then they were gone.

When Logan turned around after locking the door he saw that Peter was staring at him. He examined him from head to toe. _Funny hair, _he thought, _too big shoulders, hairy like a beast, scared, and angry. _

"Uh... You hungry?" Peter nodded. "There's pizza in the kitchen, uh... Follow me, I guess."

_Damn you, Richard and Mary Parker for leaving your brat here with me. He'd better not be a uh... A brat... Ain't got room for that here. _

After Logan pulled a pizza box from the refrigerator and placed it on the island in the center of the large kitchen he saw that Peter was struggling to climb onto the tall stool in front of him. _He's gonna fall and then he's gonna cry, _Logan thought. "Jesus, kid, you're gonna crack your head," he said as he scooped him up and placed him onto the seat. Peter let out a small gasp as soon as he was whisked up.

"Listen, uh... I've never done this before." Peter looked at him blankly. "Taken care of a kid before. I mean I've had a kid but I didn't-I wasn't-"

"I'll be okay." It was Logan's turn to have a blank expression. "My mom and dad will be back soon and they'll take me home again and it will be okay. So I'll be okay. So don't worry so much."

"Uh..." was all that Logan could muster.

"You brush your teeth?" Peter nodded from under three very thick blankets. "You got enough blankets?" Peter nodded again. "You tired?" He shook his head. "Well it's late. So, uh, go to sleep." He didn't wait for Peter to protest. Instead he went to his own room and prepared for bed. The events of the last hour had actually exhausted him. Little did he know that he would be having a cruel awakening in the morning.

When Logan woke up he could feel that there was something wrong. Something was... missing. _Is he always this quiet? _He thought. When he went to check on Peter, he was gone. The blankets were strewn across the bed and there were clothes all over the floor. Then there was a _drip, drip, drip _coming from the bathroom down the hall. _There he is._ There he wasn't. The faucet was leaking and the light was left on but Peter was not in there. So he checked the rest of the house. In the kitchen there was a chair next to a tall shelf and an open box of cereal left on the island, as well as a bit of spilt milk around an empty bowl.

When he went to check the living room he crossed the hallway that led to the front door. Not only was the door unlocked, but it was also budged open. Then Logan realized that Peter was actually gone. But how? Did somebody learn that he was here in the few hours after he'd been dropped off? Did they pluck him right out of the kitchen while he was in the middle of his breakfast? _No. _He would have heard them come in. Hell, he would have _smelled _them. And besides, no one is stupid enough to cross Logan.

_They'll never forgive me if he's gone missing... _And so he set out to find Peter.

Calling his name but careful of who might be around, Logan looked like a madman. He wore dirty jeans and a dingy tank top, his hair was wild; the neighbors were convinced that he had lost it.

Finally, when he was about thirteen blocks from his apartment in the nicest part of Queens, he rounded the corner and saw Peter walking down the car-filled, dirty, junkie infested street, headed for the elementary school that sat at the end.

Peter was just approaching a waiting teacher when Logan called his name. Both Peter and the teacher turned to look at Logan, the teacher more frightened than Peter.

"Damn it, kid, I'm callin' you! Peter!" Logan said as he jogged up the street to them.

"Get behind me, Peter." said the very worried teacher.

"Hey! Don't you know any better than-"

"Sir, you need to back away from the child and go back to where ever it is you came from."

Logan's expression was one of annoyance. He ignored the teachers warning and came closer to Peter.

"I mean it!"

"It's okay!" Peter said suddenly. "I know him!" The teacher seemed disbelieving and told Peter he didn't have to lie for this disgruntled man.

"Listen, I don't have time for this. Either you move out of the way, or I'll make you," said Logan in an angry voice through gritted teeth. The teacher gasped.

"Really, Mr. Daniels, I know him. I do!"

"And of what relation is he to you?"

Logan stiffened. He hadn't discussed cover stories with Peter's parents.

"He's my temporary guardian while my mom and dad are in Canada!"

"Why are they in Canada? And why didn't they inform the school before they left? Your mother is usually quite responsible about those things."

"Because they had a family emergency and have to go to a funeral now. It's a very sad story, Mr. Daniels. I really don't want to talk about it right now."

Both Logan and Mr. Daniels' mouths were agape.

"Uh... I'll be right in but really quick can I talk to my temporary guardian before I go inside?" Peter asked quickly. Mr. Daniels nodded and walked away slowly, shaking his head.

"Canada?" Logan asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Peter shrugged. "Nothing really happens in Canada."

_That's what you think. _"You know where they really are?"

"They have to talk to some Hill man or something. They didn't tell me anything but that's just what I heard them say."

"Right. Well, uh... Listen, you can't just take off like that."

"I had to go to school!"

"Yeah, well, next time wake me up and uh, and I'll take you." Peter looked behind himself at Mr. Daniels who was now tapping his foot and crossing his arms, _from a distance._ "What time does school end?"

Peter looked at the watch on his wrist and pointed to the arrows and said "When this one is here and this one is there."

"What, you can't tell time?" Logan sneered.

"We were working on it," he said quietly, looking down."

_Shit._ "Okay. Well, I'll be here when you get out. Uh, is there anywhere specific where I'm supposed to wait?" Peter pointed to the flag pole that stood in front of the school. Several parents stood around it saying goodbye to their children and conversing with other parents.

"Peter! It's time to go inside!" said the impatient teacher.

"Please don't be too late," mumbled Peter as he turned around to leave.


	2. Chapter 2

RbaA Ch. 2

It was a long trip and he was just coming home. Wade was never very fond of the cleanup after a long trip. A couple of stops at the grocery store, laundromat, and gas station and he was ready to get home. Next to him was a fresh pizza being kept hot by the seat warmer. His katanas were sitting in the back seat on top of a basket full of clean laundry. His shoes were in the trunk.

As he drove down the barely lit street a family emerged from a minivan; a man, a woman, and a little boy.

At about a block away from his home, a child ran out into the street and tripped in front of his car. Luckily he was able to brake in time. If there was one kind of life that Wade actually valued, it was that of a child.

When she didn't get up soon enough, he honked. She flinched and stood up quickly, dusting herself off as she crossed the rest of the street.

Wade would have let it go if he hadn't noticed that this little girl was barefoot and dirty. Instead he pulled up to the curb and called out to her. He realized what it would have looked like to many of the neighbors peaking through their curtains. _Nosy shits..._

"Hey!" he called out to the girl. She turned around slowly but did not go near him. "Look kid, you can trust me." He held his hands up as if to show her he was unarmed. Upon further examination of the girl he could tell that there was died blood by her eye, her shirt was ripped at the collar, and she was covered in bruises. _Damn it._ "Uh... Are you homeless?" She shook her head. "Running away then?" She nodded then shook her head again. "Well, which is it?"

"J-just for the night."

"And what is it that you're running from?" She glanced down at her feet. She looked like she was ashamed of something. "Alright, you don't have to answer that... You have a place to go? Is there anyone you can go to?" Another shake. "'Kay, wait a sec." Suddenly he was rifling through the clothes in the backseat of his car. He found a light blue sweatshirt and a pair of socks and offered them to the girl. She finally took them after he could convince her that the socks were absolutely clean.

Once she accepted the clothes, as well as a blanket from the trunk, she suddenly turned around and started running. Wade didn't know what to think, other than that she was headed straight for an alley that he knew was bad news.

_Don't go in there, don't go in there, don't go-God damn it, kid!_

In no time, Wade followed the girl into the alley, katana in hand, and waited silently. The girl had no clue she'd been followed. But when she heard the crunch of gravel behind her she expected the worst. There were two boys in their teens, one was tall and lanky-all arms and teeth-the other shorter and a bit stocky.

They approached the girl slowly until one of them reached out and grabbed her by the hair. She let out a sudden gasp.

"I thought I told you what would happen if I saw you back here," said the stocky boy. "No trouble for either of us, but... I'm sure you don't wanna be too late getting home this time."

"I just want to find some place to sleep," said the girl.

"I don't think I stuttered. You'd better get lost or else you're really gonna get it!"

"Why don't you get lost?!" The girl gave him a good shove for her size but it didn't effect him much. In fact it only seemed to irritate him. He retaliated with a swift punch to her left temple which sent her straight to the ground.

Wade didn't need to think twice about what he would do. He didn't question whether or not he should give the boys a warning. So that's exactly what he did.

_"I don't think you boys wanna beef with this girl. She looks like she can beat some ass."_ The boys turned around to see who was accosting them. There was no one. _"I mean look at her. She looks like she took a pretty good beating already... but what do you think the other guy looks like?"_ They turned again. Where was that voice coming from? _"Personally I think she could take stick boy over here."_ Suddenly he appeared, standing next to the tall boy. Both boys flinched when they finally saw him.

"What do you want?" asked the shorter boy. Wade faced him and he surpassed him by at least a foot.

"Well I'm just wonderin' what dumb reason two dumbass kids are bullyin' a toddler. She beat you up one too many times? You takin' revenge on her now? What's the plan, huh?" He grabbed the shorter boy's shirt front nearly lifted him from the ground. "Damn kid, she tease you 'bout your weight too? That's gotta be at _least_ thirty pounds worth of emotional eating."

"You ought to get lost, man!" said the taller boy as he shoved Wade. Wade didn't budge an inch. "I'm warning you! Let him go an' just leave."

"Oh... Okay. I think I get it. So, I'll leave, and then what will happen? You leave too? Or are you two shit sacks gonna stick around try to get it in with the toddler? 'Cause that's what it was starting to sound like." As soon as he let go of the boy's shirt front the boy threw a wide swinging punch. Wade caught his fist and promptly began to twist his arm.

"Let go of me, freak!"

"I'm not the one looking to for a good time with a toddler. Freak."

Suddenly the tall boy lunged at Wade. He wasn't heavy enough to move him, much like the girl with the stockier boy. While Wade was seemingly distracted by this, the larger boy stepped over to the girl who was still on the ground, crying now and very obviously frightened.

"When this freak leaves, you're comin' with us."

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" asked the girl desperately.

"Shut up!" And then he backhanded her.

It was almost like magic how fast everything happened. If neither of the boys hadn't noticed the katana before, they surely were aware of it now. The stocky boy was on his knees, cradling his right hand in his left, and watching blood trickle down his elbow. The skinny boy just stood there staring at the three fingers that now lay on the ground, separate from their owner. It happened so fast, he had no time to scream.

"Now, I know you'll miss that pinky a lot. But isn't it better to lose something easily reattached rather than something irreplaceable?"

"Are you fucking crazy?" cried the boy as he reached forward, with his good hand, for his missing digits. "Oh God, I can't breathe..."

Wade knelt in front of him now and grabbed him by the hair. "Look at me, you piece of shit. You see my face? Answer me!"

"Yes! Yes, I s-see you!"

"Good... Now do me a favor. Forget my face. Forget it and forget this alley and that little girl. You hear me?!"

"Yes!"

"Good. I'm so glad we settled this." He stood up, still holding him by his hair. "Now take what's left of your fingers and go." The boy shakily picked up his missing digits and stumbled to his feet. Before the boys could leave, Wade called their attention a final time. "And remember... If I catch you in this alley again, you lose the rest of your fingers... as well as other things. Now, _get lost."_

Once they left, Wade turned to the girl who was still sitting on the ground hiding her face and crying.

When he approached her she shied away.

"Kid..."

"P-please... just go. Just go away..."

"Look, I can take you to the police station. Alright?"

"No!" She turned to him now, crying harder. "You can't do that. Please!"

"Well, you obviously aren't safe out here, kid. C'mon, get your things." As soon as he turned to leave the alley, the girl started tugging on his shirt tail.

"Please!" she begged.

"What's so terrible about the police station? They're the good guys, remember?"

"Because every time I get taken into there, they call my family and then I get in trouble." She was nearly sobbing. "Please, please don't take me there. I don't wanna go back home. I can't go back!"

"It's obvious that you're in pain. Both emotional and physical. I get it. I've been there. Hell, I'm there now. But sometimes you need to face it." He watched as her face crumbled even further. _This is not going the way I planned._ "Aaaaand it's obvious that you need help," he said more to himself than to the girl. He closed his eyes and thought out very carefully what he would say next. He knew it could backfire, but he realized he was already invested.

"You... can stay at my place. For... For two days." Suddenly she lit up. "But that's all! You hear me?"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Mister!"

"Two days. Don't think I'll cave and let you stay the week either!"

Wade stood at the entrance of the alley and waited for the girl to collect the things he'd given her, and then they headed for his car. When they got to it he opened the back door and realized the backseat was cluttered with all his laundry, as well as some of his weapons that he was much too lazy to store in the trunk. Instead he let the girl sit in the front seat, giving her the duty of holding the still hot pizza on her lap. Before he shut the passenger door, Wade flipped open the pizza box, took a slice, shut the lid and tossed it onto the box, and shut the door. When he got into his seat on the driver's side, while starting his car, he glanced over at the girl.

"Cold pizza's not as good as hot pizza, you know." She looked like she was ready to cry again so he interjected. "Look, you can't cry every time someone mistreats you, or even treats you right. The world is bad, alright? There's no room for that. At all."

"S-sorry... It's just that... no one's ever treated me good." She picked up the slice of pizza and took a bite. Her eyes lit up as if it were her first bite of food in a few days. Wade knew exactly what that was like. He could also tell that she was trying to hide her hunger, and that bothered him a great deal.

"So, since I don't like opening my home to complete strangers, I think we should fix that before we get there. My name's Wade Wilson, I can eat my weight in anything, and I ki-" _She's so little... Must shield what's left of her innocence!_ "Harm. I _harm_ bad people for a living. What's your name, how old are you, and why'd you run off tonight? And, is that your blood?" She looked up mid bite. "By your eye, I mean."

She shook her head. "Not all of it."

"Damn, kid... Well?"

"Oh yeah. Uh, my name is Bernadette Reilly but I really hate that name so much so you can call me Ben instead. And my parents don't like me very much so I guess that's why they think that they should hit me all the time. And the blood on my face that isn't mine is actually my dad's because I protected myself with a fountain pen right before I ran out of the house."

_Oh, shit,_ he thought. _This girl is hard!_

"Oh yeah, you asked how old I am. I'm six."

"Just eat your pizza, kid." _What the Hell am I getting myself into?_


End file.
